Grain-cleaner



(No Model.) 4 sheets sneen 1.

J. C. FISHER.

GRAIN CLEANER.

No. 393,635. Patented Nov. 2'7, 1888.

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GRAIN CLEANER. I No. 393,635. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

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J. C. FISHER.

GRAIN CLEANER.

N0. 393,635. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

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J. C. FISHER;

GRAIN CLEANER.

No. 393,635. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

. from all refuse and foul matter, and also scour UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOAB o. FISHER, or BELoIT, KANSAS.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,635, dated November 27, 1888.

Serial No. 267,996. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOAB O. FISHER, of Beloit, Mitchell county, Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Oleaning Machines, of which the followingis afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to that class ofgraincleaners which separate the kernels of grain and polish them ready for the rolls; and it consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, the head end thereof being at the right hand of the figure. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, the section being taken on line yy, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation, the section being taken on line 00 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the operation of an automatic feeder used in making up the invention. Fig. 5 is a detail View in perspective of a stationary scouringcylinder used in making up the invention. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a revolving scouring-cylinder. Fig. 7 is a detail view of an agitating device that operates in the scouringbox of the machine; and Fig. 8 is a detail view, in perspective, illustrating the opera tion of the automatic feeding devices.

I would state that the machine covered by my invention is particularly adapted for scouring wheat in flouring-mills.

The wheat is first discharged into the feeding-hopper A, the bottom of which is formed bythe top piece, a, of sieve-frameB,which latter is vibrated by means that will be presently described. The vibration of the piece a causes the wheat to work out through a slot or opening, a, in one side of said hopper. The sieve-frame B is supported upon flexible standards 2, the lower ends of which are secured to supporting-frame O of the machine. Motion is communicated from the main shaft L to a short shaft, R, located above said main shalt, by means of belt 0 and pulleys N and 1?, located on shafts L and B, respectively, asmall crank or eccentric, t, being located on the in-- ner end of shaft R, and a suitable connectingrod, 15, connects the sieve-frame to the crank or eccentric.

In operation the main shaft L of the machine is to be revolved at about five hundred and fifty revolutions per minute, the connections being such that the sieve-frame will have about the same speed as the main shaft.

After leaving the feedhopper A the wheat passes through a series of one or more sieves, b 0, within the sieve-frame,which take out the fine dirt and grit and coarse straws,the straws passing over the top sieve, b, and being discharged at its rear end, 3, and the fine dirt and grit passing through both sieves and dropping upon the short inclined apron d, situated beneath the sieve c, and being discharged into spout e at the tail end of apron d, from which they may be removed in any desired way. The wheat passes through the perforations in the sieves and drops onto an inclined chute or apron, f, and runs down through an opening, 71, into the suction-spout t on the inner side of air-trunk E, where it encounters an incoming current of air induced by suction-fan F,which takes out all screenings, chaff, and light particles. Thence it drops upon the automatic hopper G, that is located directly under the said suction-spout. Said hopper is hung or suspended from the free ends of vibrating arms 4, the opposite ends of said arms being pivoted in suitable bearings and rigidly connected together, so that when one is raised the other will also be elevated, thereby raising both sides of the hopper simultaneously and holding it level during operation.

The hopper is perforated at about the center of its bottom and provided with a short spout, 114, which telescopes or works in and out of a flanged opening in the upper side of scouring-box H, which is the first compartment of the scouring-casing. From the automatic hopper G the wheat passes to scouring box II, located at the head ofthe main casing H. \Vithin the casing H is the stationary perforated scouring-casing 23,the internal surface of which (at the head end) is provided with spirally-arranged ribs 19. Said scouringbox is formed by a stationary partition, I, being set a short distance from the head end of this stationary scouring-casing 23.

A valve, a, at the opening a of the hopper A is connected to a parallel rock-shaft, 13, by means of arms 101, which extend at right angles from said shaft and carry said valve at their free ends, the shaft being provided with suitable bearings in the frame of said hopper, so that when said shaft is slightly turnedin either direction said valve will be correspondingly raised or lowered and cover or uncover the feedslot a.

Upon one end of shaft 13, and also projecting at right angles thereto, is located another arm, which I may term the valve-arm.

Said arm is normally urged upward by asuit ahle coiled spring, 14, and the valvea is thus normally held away from the opening a by said spring. The lower endof spring 1-1- rests in a suitable casting or bracket, 7, which is provided at its upper end with a threaded bolt, 8, the thread of which is engaged bysuitable thumb-nut, 9, so that the tension of the spring maybe regulated for the purpose of shutting off the feed earlier or later, according to the amount of feed desired. A vertical rod, 5, connects the free end of arm 102 with the free end of one of the vibrating arms 4, from which latter the automatic hopper is suspended.

The action of this construction is as follows: As the weight of wheat on hopper G reaches the limit of the tension of the spring it is depressed, as is also the free end of ttllll 102, and the valve a is correspondingly lowered, closing the feed slot more or less. The spring 14 is compressed by the weight on the hopper,and as the weight on said hopper grows less said spring acts to reopen valve a, and so on. Giving greater tension to said spring will permit a larger volume of wheat to accumulate upon the hopper (t before valve a is acted upon, and vice versa. The scouring box H is thus automatically kept full of wheat. After reaching the SC0lllll1g-l)OX, as indicated, the wheat encounters an agitator, 250, which is composed of disk K,which is provided with a hub and is also keyed or otherwise secured to main shaft L, another disk, K, having a central perforation, 16, larger than shaft L, and a series of horizontal bars, 18, which connect the two disks firmly together. The perforation 16 in disk K is made considerably larger than shaft L for the passage of wheat around said shalt as it enters the scouri ng-box. Of course, however, the construction of this agitator may be varied in different ways.

The operation is as follows: The scouringbox If is kept full of wheat, as before described, and the rapidly-revolving agitator causes the center of the mass to revolve with about a corresponding velocity, and by centrifugal force it is urged outwardly against the ribs 19, and the scouring operation is accomplished here by attrition of thekernels. After passing through the scouring-box H the wheat passes into the opening between partition I and disk K. This disk is provided with curved radial ribs 22 upon the side next adjacent to the partition I. The curve of the ribs is such as to urge the wheat toward the center of said disk, where it passes into the next compartment of the scouring-casing 23 by way ot a circular central aperture, 20, in said partition. I also arrange a series of passages, 21., around the periphery of said partition and control them by a rotatable valve or plate, I. By

means of these passages a larger volume 01 wheat may be allowed to enter the scouringcasing. The plate I is provided with a suitable operating handle or lever, J, which has one end secured thereto and pro ects out through scouring-easing 23 and easing It, so as to be conveniently reached and operated. Rotating the plate or val ve Iin one direction will close the passages 2t, while turning it in an opposite direction will open said passages.

Vithin the casing 23 and keyed or otherwise fixed on main shaft L, so as to rotate therewith, is a combined revolving seouring cyl inder and ventilating-fan, 24, the construction of which is as follows: A pair of disks or wheels, 26 and 27, respectively, are mounted on main shaft at suitable distance apart, and

a perforated sheet-inetal covering, 390, is mounted on their peripheries. A suitable number of revolving paddles, 28, are located within cylinder 24, the ends of sa d paddles being secured to said disks in any suitable way, thereby forming a fan within said cylinder. Upon the outer surface of cylinder 24 spiral ribs 25 are located, so as to work the wheat toward the discharge end thereof. Within this annular space between the cylinder 24 and the casing 23 the wheat receives a final scouring and then passes to discharge-spout 25! at the tail end of the niachine,where an incoming current of air passes through it and takes out all particles of dust that might remain.

The arrows in the several figu res indicate the direction of the air'currents induced by the two fans. The fan within cylinder 2 t draws in air through openings 50 in disk 26 and forces it tli rough the thin sheet of wheat that is located between the two cylinders. The current of air generated by the fan within said cylinder, after passing through the perforations in both cylinders and through the wheat located between them, is drawn otf by fan F at the head of the machine, it passing through openings 31 in the head end 32 of the casing H. The discharge from fan F is delivered at 200, and may be carried off in any desired way. \Vith this construction it will be observed that a strong draft is created through the scouringcylinders and that thorough ventilation is consequently secured.

Annular space for the circulation of air is left between the scouring-casing 23 and the casing H. A current of air entering the discharge 29 can pass upward to the top of said casing and through apertures 30 in the head 33 (similar to apertures 31 in head 32) into the annular space surrounding the scouring-cylin- ICS der 23, and thence to fan F by way of passages 31 in head 32. Y

The letter S represents a dust-chamber loeated beneath the scouring apparatus to receive particles of dust, and from which they may be moved in any desired way.

Motion is communicated to main shaft L by means of a suitable pulley mounted thereon at its head end and a driving-belt,l\r[,monntcd on said pulley.

49 indicates the entrance leading to passages 50 in disk 26.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a grain cleaning and scouring ma chine, the combination of an outer stationary scouring-casing, heads 32, located at the ends of said casing and provided with inlet and discharge openings, arevolving shaft, a disk secured on said shaft, a second disk having a central perforation larger than the shaft, and a series of horizontal bars which firmly connect the two disks, substantially as and for the purboth chambers, a disk provided with curved radial ribs and secured upon said shaft adjacent to said partition-plate, a second disk having a central perforation, and a series of horizontal bars which firml y connect the two disks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of stationary outer scouring-casing, 23, provided at the head end with spirally-arranged ribs 19, a revolving shaft, a disk rigidly secured upon said shaft, a second disk having a central perforation, and a series of bars which firmly connect the two disks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination ofa feeding-hopper having a vibrating bottom and a feed-opening in one side, a rock-shaft located parallel with said feed-opening, arms which extend at right angles from said shaft, a feed-valve carried by the outer ends of said arms and having vertical movement adjacent to said feed-opening, a third arm at one end of said shaft and parallel with the other arms, a spring which normally urges this last-named arm upward, a vertical rod which depends from the free end of this arm, and a hopper having a discharge-opening and connected to the lower end of said vertical rod, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOAB O. FISHER.

\Vitnesses:

S. S. MoREHoUsn, J. G. HIGDON. 

